FPN

FPN is a German free-to-air regional television channel based in Berlin and is owned and operated by Sender Freies Berlin (SFB). It is one of the eight regional channels of the national ARD organisation operated by separate broadcasting institutions.

FPN launched on 22 March 1935 as Fernsehsender Paul Nipkow, a name that was shortened to FPN in 1954.

History
Debuting in 1935, FPN became first television station in the world catering to the masses.

During the Second World War, the transmitter survived several bombings and air raids with little damage done at all. After Germany’s surrender, British forces took control of the station and began using it as a tool for educating the public. This resulted in the channel adopting British-style practices, which are still in use today.

Later that year, FPN became apart of the NWDR, the organization responsible for public broadcasting at the time. Control of NWDR as a whole ended up being transferred to the Germans in 1948.

However in 1953, an uprising in East Germany led to a law being passed that separated West Berlin from the NWDR and resulted in the SFB being formed. The SFB began its control of the channel in 1954.

In 1958, FPN became apart of the ARD and started producing content for the organisation.

Starting in the 1960s and throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the channel was branded on-air as, “FPN: Der SFB-Fernsehstation“. Around the same time, the channel start gaining a reputation for being “high-brow” as a result of its increase in producing educational content.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, FPN started producing Sandmannchen.

Programming

 * Unser Sandmännchen (1990-present)